Dark Chocolate Rocky Road Ice Cream with Hazelnuts

Rich and dark chocolate ice cream studded with mini marshmallows and toasted hazelnuts is a perfect indulgence to help beat the heat.

I never cared much for rocky road ice cream as a kid. I think it was the nuts.

Fast forward 20 years to last week when I realized I still hadn’t given rocky road the second chance it deserves. 20 years without the combination of chocolate ice cream, marshmallows and nuts? I must be nuts. And so I made batch of rocky road ice cream.

Rocky road ice cream is traditionally made with chopped almonds, though just about any nut will do. So I went with hazelnuts since they are one of my favorites, especially when chocolate is also involved. And what a lovely combination they make in this ice cream!

One last tasty twist I added to this recipe was doubling the amount of bittersweet chocolate in the recipe and lowering the sugar content. The result is a dark chocolaty ice cream base that I’m still swooning over.

Rocky road ice cream, welcome to my life! I think we’re going to get along just fine.

How long does ice cream last in the freezer?

To be honest, ice cream doesn’t usually last very long in our house before we gobble it up. But it will usually keep in the freezer for 2-4 months. The best way to store ice cream is with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface on the ice cream as well as a lid to cover the container. This will prevent ice crystals from forming and the ice cream from picking up other flavors from inside the freezer, commonly referred to as “freezer burn”.

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, combine the milk, 1 cup of the cream, cocoa powder, bittersweet chocolate, sugar, salt and espresso (if using). Heat until steaming, stirring frequently until smooth.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks together in a large bowl. Very slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly until it is all combined. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to medium-high heat. Cook until mixture coats the back of a spoon, while stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream. If desired, pour through a mesh strainer to remove any lumps. Chill completely in the fridge, for at least 2 hours.

Freeze in an ice cream machine according to manufacturer's instructions. During the last 5 minutes of freezing, add the mini marshmallows and chopped hazelnuts. Transfer ice cream to a large bowl or plastic container. Cover and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours before serving.

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9 comments on “Dark Chocolate Rocky Road Ice Cream with Hazelnuts”

It’s in such occasions that I hate -truly hate- being intolerant to chocolate. Yes, as weird and silly as it may sound, I’ve found out I’m intolerant to chocolate! Oh, well, I’ll try this maybe substituting the dark chocolate base with a hazelnut one?

This looks phenomenal. I remember as a kid thinking that there was something seriously wrong with people who would ruin perfectly good chocolate ice cream by putting nuts in it. I also remember thinking my grandmother was a lunatic for eating things like butter pecan or maple walnut.
Now, butter pecan and maple walnut are my favorites! The only thing that could make them better would be dark chocolate and marshmallows! I need to make this immediately!!!

Doubling the chocolate is ALWAYS a good idea. I adore dark chocolate ice cream, so I’m sure this is fabulous. I can’t wait to meet you next week and spend a few days sipping wine and eating far too well, I’m sure. 🙂

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Many recipes call for eggs at room temperature. This is because the egg membranes are less viscous at room temperature and mix into the batter more easily. The difference will not be noted in every recipe, but it can make a big difference in egg-heavy cakes such as angel food and sponge cakes. A quick way to bring them to room temperature is to put them in warm water for about 5 minutes.